1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in cockpits for military aircraft and in particular, to improvements which protect the pilot of such an aircraft from the adverse effects of high `g` forces.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
It has been found that when an aircraft is carrying out manoeuvres involving forces of more than 8g the pilot needs to be in an almost supine position if he is to remain conscious (even when wearing the conventional `g` suit).
Ejection seats which are moveable from an upright position to a reclining position have been proposed for use in high speed aircraft. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,485. For most flying operations, the pilot selects the upright position. For high-speed manoeuvres, he reclines the seat so that his tolerance to `g` forces is improved.
The inventors have found that whilst in a supine position and under high `g` conditions, the pilot has appreciable difficulty controlling his arm movements and, consequentially, operating the manual flying controls.